Vayu Purana

पित्राऽपरञ्जितास्तस्य प्रजास्तेनानुरञ्जिताः । ततो राजेति नामास्य अनुरागादजायत

His subjects, whom his father had not won over, were won over by him; thus, from their affection, he acquired the name 'Rāja' (King).

आपस्तस्तम्भिरे चास्य समुद्रमभियास्यतः । पर्वताश्च विशीर्यन्ते ध्वजभङ्गश्च नाभवत्

The waters stood still for him as he approached the ocean; mountains shattered, and there was no breaking of banners.

अकृष्टपच्या पृथिवी सिद्ध्यन्त्यन्नानि चिन्तया । सर्वकामदुघा गावः पुटके पुटके मधु

The earth yielded crops without being plowed, food was produced by mere thought; cows gave all desired things, and honey was found in every vessel.

एतस्मिन्नेव काले च यज्ञे पैतामहे शुभे । सूतः सूत्यां समुत्पन्नः सौत्येऽहनि महामतिः । तस्मिन्नेव महायज्ञे जज्ञे प्राज्ञोऽथ मागधः

At that very time, during the auspicious ancestral sacrifice, a wise Sūta was born on the day of the Sūtya; in that great sacrifice, a learned Māgadha was also born.

ऐन्द्रेण हविषा चापि हविः पृक्तं बृहस्पतेः । जुहावेन्द्राय देवेन ततः सूतो व्यजायत

With the oblation for Indra, and also the oblation mixed with that of Bṛhaspati, the god offered it to Indra; from that, the Sūta was born.

प्रमादस्तत्र सञ्जज्ञे प्रायश्चित्तञ्च कर्मसु । शिष्यहव्येन यत्पृक्तमाभिभूतं गुरोर्हविः । अधरोत्तरचारेण जज्ञे तद्वर्णवैकृतम्

There, error arose, and expiation in the rites; what was mixed with the disciple's oblation overcame the teacher's oblation; through lower and upper conduct, that variation of caste was produced.

यच्च क्षत्रात्सम्भवद्ब्राह्मण्यां हीनयोनितः । सूतः पूर्वेण साधर्मतुल्यधर्मः प्रकीर्त्तितः

And what was born from a Kṣatriya father and a Brahmin mother, of inferior origin, the Sūta, is declared to have the same duties as the previous one.

मध्यमो ह्येष सूतस्य धर्मः क्षत्रोपजीवनम् । रथनागाश्च चरितं जघन्यञ्च चिकित्सितम्

This is the middle duty of the Sūta: living by service to Kṣatriyas; driving chariots and elephants, and the lowest is medical treatment.

पृथोः स्तवार्थं तौ तत्र समाहूतौ सुरर्षिभिः । तावूचुर्मुनयः सर्वे स्तूयतामेष पार्थिवः । कर्मैतदनुरूपं वां पात्रं स्तोत्रस्य चाप्ययम् ॥२.१.

For the purpose of praising Pṛthu, those two were summoned there by the divine sages; all the sages said: 'Let this king be praised; this deed and you both are fit for the hymn.'

६२.१४२ तावूचतुस्तदा सर्वांस्तानृषीन्सूतमागधौ । आवां देवानृषींश्चैव प्रीणयावः स्वकर्मभिः

Then the Sūta and Māgadha said to all those sages: 'We please the gods and sages with our own actions.'

न चास्य कर्म वै विद्वो न तथा लक्षणं यशः । स्तोत्रं येनास्य कुर्यावो राज्ञस्तेजस्विनो द्विजाः

Nor do we know his deeds, nor his characteristics and fame, by which we might compose a hymn for this illustrious king, O twice-born ones.

ऋषिभिस्तौ नियुक्तौ तु भविष्यैः स्तूयतामिति । दानधर्मरतो नित्यं सत्यवान् स जितेन्द्रियः । ज्ञानशीलो वदान्यस्तु संग्रामेष्वपराजितः

The sages appointed them, saying: 'Let him be praised in the future.' He is always devoted to charity and righteousness, truthful, self-controlled, learned, generous, and undefeated in battle.

यानि कर्माणि कृतवान् पृथुश्चापि महाबलः । तानि शीलेन बद्धानि स्तुवद्भिः सूतमागधैः

The deeds performed by mighty Pṛthu, bound by virtue, were praised by the Sūta and Māgadha.

ततः स्तवान्ते सुप्रीतः पृथुः प्रादात् प्रजेश्वरः । अनूपदेशं सूताय मगधं मागधाय च

Then, at the end of the praise, Pṛthu, the lord of creatures, being greatly pleased, granted the region of Anūpa to the Sūta, Magadha to the Magadha.

तदा वै पृथिवीपालाः स्तूयन्ते सूतमागधैः । आशीर्वादैः प्रबोध्यन्ते सूतमागधबन्दिभिः

At that time, the rulers of the earth were praised by the Sūtas and Magadhas; they were awakened with blessings by the Sūtas, Magadhas, and bards.

तं दृष्ट्वा परमप्रीताः प्रजा ऊचुर्महर्षयः । एष वो वृत्तिदो वैन्यो भवन्त्विति नराधिपः

Seeing him, the people and great sages, filled with supreme joy, said: 'This son of Vena will be your provider—let him be your king.'

ततो वैन्यं महाभागं प्रजाः समभिदुद्रुवुः । त्वन्नो वृत्तिं विधत्स्वेति महर्षेर्वचनात्तदा । सोऽभिद्रुतः प्रजाभिस्तु प्रजाहितचिकीर्षया

Then, at the words of the great sages, the people eagerly approached the illustrious Vainya, saying, 'From you, arrange for our livelihood.' Thus pursued by the people, desiring their welfare—

धनुर्गृहीत्वा बाणांश्च वसुधामार्द्दयद्बली । अस्यार्द्दनभय त्रस्ता गौर्भूत्वा प्राद्रवन्मही

Mighty, taking up his bow and arrows, he pressed the earth; terrified by the fear of being pressed, the earth, taking the form of a cow, fled.

तां पृथुर्धनुरादाय द्रवन्तीमन्वधावत । सा लोकान् ब्रह्मलोकादीन् गत्वा वैन्यभयात्तदा । ददर्श चाग्रतो वैन्यं कार्मुकोद्यतधारिणम् ॥२.१.

Pṛthu, taking up his bow, pursued her as she ran; she, out of fear of Vainya, went to the worlds, including Brahmā's world, and there saw Vainya standing before her, bow raised.

   ६२.१५२ ज्वलद्भिर्विशिखैर्बाणैर्दीप्ततेजसमच्युतम् । महायोगं महात्मानं दुर्द्धर्षममरैरपि

With blazing arrows, radiant with brilliant energy, unshaken, possessing great yoga and greatness, invincible even to the immortals.

अलभन्ती तदा त्राणं वैन्यमेवान्वपद्यत । कृताञ्जलिपुटा देवी पूज्या लोकैस्त्रिभिः सदा

Unable to find protection, she turned to Vainya alone; the goddess, always revered by the three worlds, stood before him with joined palms.

उवाच वैन्यं नाधर्मं स्त्रीवधे परिपश्यसि । कथं धारयिता चासि प्रजा राजन् मया विना

She said to Vainya: 'You do not consider it unrighteous to kill a woman; how will you sustain the people, O king, without me?'

मयि लोकाः स्थिता राजन् मयेदन्धार्यते जगत् । मदृते च विनश्येयुः प्रजाः पार्थिवसत्तम

'O king, the worlds exist in me; by me the universe is supported. Without me, O best of kings, the people would perish.'

न मामर्हसि वै हन्तुं श्रेयश्चेत्त्वं चिकीर्षसि । प्रजानां पृथिवीपाल श्रृणु चेदं वचो मम ॥१५५ . उपायतः समारब्धाः सर्वे सिद्धन्त्युपक्रमाः. हत्वापि मां न शक्तस्त्वं प्रजानां पालने नृप

'You ought not to kill me, if you wish for the welfare of the people, O protector of the earth. Listen to my words: all undertakings begun with a method reach completion. Even if you kill me, O king, you will not be able to protect the people.'

अन्नभूता भविष्यामि जहि कोपं महाद्युते । अवध्याश्च स्त्रियः प्राहुस्तिर्यग्योनिशतेष्वपि । मत्वैवं पृथिवीपाल धर्मं न त्यक्तुमर्हसि

'I will become the source of food; abandon your anger, O greatly radiant one. Women are said to be inviolable, even among a hundred animal species. Knowing this, O protector of the earth, you should not abandon righteousness.'

एवं बहुविधं वाक्यं श्रुत्वा राजा महामनाः । क्रोधं निगृह्य धर्मात्मा वसुधामिदमब्रवीत्

Hearing these many words, the king of great mind, self-controlled and righteous, suppressed his anger and spoke to the earth.

एकस्यार्थाय यो हन्यादात्मनो वा परस्य वा । एकं प्राणं बहून् वापि कामं तस्यास्ति पातकम्

'Whoever kills for the sake of one—whether himself or another—one life or many, that person incurs sin, whether he desires it or not.'

यस्मिंस्तु निहते भद्रे लभन्ते बहवः सुखम् । तस्मिन्हते शुभे नास्ति पातकञ्चोप पातकम् ॥२.१.

'But if, by the death of one, many obtain happiness, then in such a beneficial killing, there is no sin, nor even the shadow of sin.'

६२.१६२ सोऽहं प्रजानिमित्तं त्वां वधिष्यामि वसुन्धरे । यदि मे वचनं नाद्य करिष्यसि जगद्धितम्

'Therefore, for the sake of the people, I will slay you, O Earth, if today you do not act according to my word for the good of the world.'